Singapore Researchers Create 3D-Printed Cyborg Cockroach
A team of Singaporean researchers at Nanyang Technological University has developed a 3D-printed, remote-controlled cyborg cockroach equipped with IR cameras, allowing it to survive and move underwater for three hours. The device aims to aid rescue operations in disaster areas. The upgraded cockroach can paddle-float and navigate water with minimal speed loss.
Key points
- The cyborg cockroach is 3D-printed and remote-controlled by a team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
- The device is equipped with IR cameras and can survive underwater for three hours at a depth of 20 inches (50 cm).
- The cockroach's speed is only lightly affected, decreasing from 3.5 inches (8.75 cm) per second on land to 3.1 inches (7.84 cm) per second underwater.
- The device aims to aid rescue operations in disaster areas by steering the roaches to find survivors.
- The team has previously demonstrated an orchestrated swarm of cyborg cockroaches in 2024, but this is the first time they have been able to send them underwater.
A team of researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has made a breakthrough in the development of cyborg insects. Led by Hirotaka Sato, the team has created a 3D-printed, remote-controlled cyborg cockroach equipped with IR cameras. This device has the ability to survive and move underwater for three hours, making it a potential game-changer for rescue operations in disaster areas.
The cockroach's ability to paddle-float and navigate water with minimal speed loss makes it an ideal candidate for this type of work. While it may not be able to swim in the classical sense, it can still move through water with ease.
This is not the first time that the team has demonstrated the capabilities of cyborg cockroaches. In 2024, they showed off an orchestrated swarm of the insects, but this is the first time they have been able to send them underwater. The team's work has the potential to revolutionize the way that rescue operations are carried out, and could save countless lives in the process.
The development of cyborg cockroaches is a complex and challenging task, but the team at Nanyang Technological University is clearly up to the task. Their work is a testament to the power of innovation and the potential for technology to make a real difference in the world.
Sources
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